Hey, remember my previous article, ‘Washington Redskins Season Expectations?
Remember how excited I was for the new season? And Derrius Guice?
Remember how happy I felt to finally see a competent, feature running-back in Washington for the first time in recent memory?
Yeah. I remember.
In the Washington Redskins’ first preseason game against the New England Patriots, rookie running-back Derrius Guice suffered a torn ACL, which will sideline the LSU prospect for the 2018 NFL season. Guice suffered this injury in his fourth carry. His fourth carry.
This news came as a shock to all Redskins fans. Guice walked off the field unassisted, with footage of the player declaring his good health in the locker-room emerging after the game. The second-round pick had already shown his talent during the very play in which he was injured, where he broke several tackles for a large gain.
Derrius Guice injured
Despite my large, almost irresistible desire to lock myself away and have a good cry, we must look to the future. The effect of this injury on the team’s performance this season may be catastrophic. The Redskins now find themselves, once again, without a bellcow running-back to ease the pressure on the quarterback.
This position depth for the team now consists primarily of Chris Thompson, Rob Kelley and Samaje Perine. Chris Thompson showed flashes of brilliance last season with his electric pace and elusiveness, however fits the role of a third-down back much better than being a primary option. As for Kelley and Perine, well, it looks like Redskins fans have lots of earth-shattering two-yard runs to look forward to.
Some analysts have pointed towards the possibilities of signing a free-agent replacement, with names such as Orleans Darkwa and Adrian Peterson already being thrown into the mix. In my opinion, however, the true resolution to this problem lies within our current roster. Kapri Bibbs was a late free-agency signing last season, and showed signs of quality in his limited playtime. The Redskins are hardly gunning for the Super Bowl this season, so signing a one-year free agent at this point makes no sense to me. Instead, we should try and invest in our own players, with the possibility of finding a gem.
There is no doubt that many ‘Skins fans’ evenings will consist of tears and cheap alcohol. No matter how many times I can make Derrius Guice the leading rusher on Madden this year, the prospect of not seeing this player until next season heavily stings. Nevertheless, given his incredible work ethic and drive, there is no doubt in my mind that Derrius Guice will return just as strong as before.
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